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Originally Posted by Valentino Radman
The taste of public in general (and art public in particular) can hardly
My bottom line would be - it is primarily up to the artists to raise the artistic standards of the contemporary art. Great artists of the past were great because they were not conforming to the lowest denominator.
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Interestingly enough, I recently decided I would never again do a portrait from photos. I had a really beautiful well paid commission in front of me and I said no to photos, except to determine composition. The parents said were a little nervous, vis-a-vis the time element and the fact they lived an hour from me in Boston. Well the upshot is, that they have been bringing down their daughter every weekend for me to paint, they have become friends and they are really astounded at the difference between the photos and the painting. They have also said that they could not believe how much work goes into a painting. They and I have both learned something. They are not just making a random luxury purchase that means as little to them as buying a car.
This of course is not easy, I have caved before and done some from life, combos and some from photos. But I think the well prepared portrait artist should be able to execute a commission from life. he should have at the very least the craftsmanship and knowledge to do so. this is not the first important critic, whether you agree with him or not to have picked up on this practice in our profession and how it is making contemporary portraiture increasingly homogenized and bland.
I don't mean to make this about me, but referring to Valentino's assessment of the current state of official art it is the artist who should be in the drivers seat. He should be able to sell the concept and how he feels he can make the best possible work of art and prepared to lose it if the client wants just a hired brush. There are so many wonderful ideas lost from fear, our fear. There are wonderful possibilities in portraiture, even official ones. We have been skating and perhaps a little gutless.
This said, even the most masterful portraitist sometimes have a hard time with a portrait.
King George the Third by Gainsborough